1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the selection of touchable items on a computer-controlled touchscreen display and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method of configuring a target area within such touchable items which takes into account the angle of approach by the user for selection.
2. Description of Related Art
Various types of computer-based devices have been developed for communications, information processing and other purposes. Among these devices are personal computers, personal digital assistants, and a relatively new class of devices known as portable intelligent communications devices. Unlike the first two devices, the portable intelligent communications device is designed extensively to be a communications device, rather than just a mobile computer, and as such it includes a computer integrated with communication hardware and software to provide telephony, messaging and information services. To enable at least some of these features, the portable intelligent communications device is able to be connected to the Internet by either a wired link or a wireless link.
It will also be understood that certain software applications are provided within the portable intelligent communications device which facilitate the aforementioned features, as well as other desirable features such as a Personal Information Manager (PIM), games and the like. An exemplary portable intelligent communications device is shown and disclosed in a patent application entitled "Switching Of Analog Signals In Mobile Computing Devices" and having Ser. No. 08/796,119, which is owned by the assignee of the present invention and is hereby incorporated by reference.
As noted in another related patent application entitled "Apparatus And Method Of Formatting A List For Display On A Touchscreen," having Ser. No. 09/083,012 and also being owned by the assignee of the present invention, the portable intelligent communications device preferably employs a touchscreen in conjunction therewith. It will be understood that a number of touchable items are displayed on the touchscreen which activate certain functions associated therewith when touched by a user. By "touchable item," it is meant any icon, symbol, designation, or other representation, either graphic and/or text in nature, which causes a related action or function to take place when touched (e.g., a graphical user interface).
It will further be appreciated that each touchable item is configured so as to have a defined area therefor. This target area typically does not encompass the total area displayed for a touchable item, but has a predetermined shape and dimension. It is only when this predefined target area is touched by a user that the function or action associated with the touchable item is actually activated. Since a pattern of interaction with a touchscreen has been found to vary depending upon the angle of approach taken by the user, a proportionate number of errors has been found to occur when the touchscreen, and particularly the target areas for touchable items, is not configured for the angle of approach taken by the user. More specifically, the angle of approach taken by a user is most directly related to which hand is employed to touch the touchscreen (i.e., from the right edge of the touchscreen for right-handed users and from the left edge of the touchscreen for left-handed users).
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method of configuring a target area within a touchable item displayed on a touchscreen which improves the touch accuracy of both right-handed and left-handed users.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method of configuring a target area within a touchable item displayed on a touchscreen which maximizes the overlap area between such target area and an anticipated touch for the associated touchable item.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method of configuring a target area within a touchable item displayed on a touchscreen which customizes the location and orientation of the target area depending upon the angle of approach taken by a user thereof.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method in a portable intelligent communications device of configuring a target area within a touchable item displayed on a touchscreen which permits flexibility for multiple users of the device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method in a portable intelligent communications device of configuring a target area within a touchable item displayed on a touchscreen which takes into account the display location of the touchable item on the touchscreen.
These objects and other features of the present invention will become more readily apparent upon reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the following drawings.